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Helen Keller’s idea of ‘a bend in the road not being the end of the road unless we fail to make a turn’ is more relevant than ever for the eating out industry that’s grappling with the impact of the ongoing pandemic.
As Covid-19 has spread across the world, the eating out industry has sustained its heaviest blows. From government mandated lockdowns to a drastic change in consumer behaviour towards eating out, this year has thrown up serious challenges that necessitate some systemic changes within this sector. The collateral damage from this crisis has landed many restaurants in a volatile situation. The economic slump has further impacted spending patterns towards eating out.
As the industry braces for the new normal, the silver lining is a sea of opportunities that lies ahead of Quick Service Restaurants (QSR) to emerge stronger from this crisis. All successful organisations are guided by a strong vision and goal. In this challenging scenario, it has become even more important for organisations to persevere towards the same by empowering teams and creating a strong and frequent cadence of accountability. With an organisation that is rallying towards a shared vision, a mix of smart strategies focused on evolving customer concerns, strong technology infrastructure and long-term investments in people and processes, QSRs can turn the tide in their favour.
Build brand trust – Trust will be the single biggest driver of business in the new normal across all industries. For the eating out industry, brand trust for customers will primarily be driven by safety and hygiene. QSRs need to be agile in deploying world-class safety and hygiene processes and then ‘walk the talk’ by training their employees effectively. They should also invest in sustainable and clean sourcing practices so customers are assured about the ingredients of the food, where they come from and how they get there. This will go a long way in building back customer confidence and helping the industry recover faster than others.